A Dinner Evening. Interview with Arnaldo Pavesi.

A few days ago, a friend who works in public relations called me and invited me to a dinner at her antique dealer boyfriend’s house. I hadn’t heard from her in a while, so I was genuinely pleased. During the conversation, she mentioned that he is a true food and wine enthusiast and has a very reserved character.

We agreed not to reveal my main occupation to avoid making him nervous.

Since the world of art, especially modern art, has been the first love of my life, something I have always seriously pursued—because if you don’t follow it seriously, you can’t possibly understand it—I imagined what kind of gourmet Arnaldo Pavesi might be. Besides being a skilled antique dealer, given that he holds an important position in his field as the National Secretary of the Italian Federation of Art Dealers, he is also a talented writer of mystery novels (noir, to be precise), for which he has received some official recognition.

The dinner table was set beautifully, and the guests were decidedly charming and witty. As soon as I sat down, I was immediately recognized by another publisher who manages several publications, including radio outlets, and he invited me to a press conference at the Lombardy Region the following morning, where I, of course, went.

And how was the dinner?

I’d say it was absolutely excellent. How could it be otherwise when the host got up at 6 a.m. out of love for traditional gastronomy? This passion was also evident in his book, *"13 Drops of Red Wax,"* where he frequently draws parallels and examples, typical of someone who has truly experienced many restaurants and understands both the joy of savoring the treasures of Italian cuisine and the dynamics of conviviality.


Giovanni Zullo July 29, 2024